To Love A Lamia
by Bladewing265
Summary: Reynold, a battlemage who fights to free slaves, accidentally liberates a lamia from her would be captors. Having to contend with his own desires and prejudices, will he see past the monster like exterior and see the true heart and soul of the one who desires him?
1. Chapter 1

Hello Readers!

For a while I've played around with the idea of writing a monster girl story. So, with that said I've gone ahead and written this chapter. Depending on reception, # of reviews, etc I will either keep it going, or stop after a few chapters to get it out of my system.

Please enjoy! :)

-Bladewing265

 **To Love A Lamia**

 **Chapter 1**

The sun had not risen, and the stars shone in the night sky like countless shards of glass. The air was frigid and still as it hung above the lands dotted with plowed fields and small, miserable huts. Through them, like a gash upon the earth, ran a large river that fed the crops being grown. In the distance one could make out a large castle that stood upon an elevated hilltop - the regents residence from where he ruled his lands with a fist of iron and a heart as equally cruel.

But all of that didn't matter - not today. For one man who stood by the banks of the river, kneeling in front of a small child, all that mattered to him was the escape of his young son. He hurriedly filled a small bag with bits and pieces of food he had looted from the castle's stores. The boy, a look of fear on his face, stood shaking despite the layers of clothing he wore. Every gust of wind sent a piercing cold that chilled him to his bones.

His father finished packing and secured the pack to his son's back. He knelt down in front of him, looking his son dead in the eye. The boy would never forget the look in his father's green eyes.

"Reynold," he said hurriedly, "That food should last you for a few days. Run as far away as you can from this place - the sleeping elixer I laced in the lord's food will not last for long. Everyone will awake soon and you must be gone before then."

"But father!" protested the young child in fear, "I don't want to leave! Please come with me!"

"I cannot my son." The man stood up, smiling sadly and gently patting the boy's head of brown hair. "They will hunt me down for what I have done. My presence will only endanger you. You must survive this place - you must find your freedom."

"But if that means leaving you behind I don't want it!" Tears began to stream down the boy's cheeks as he began to sob uncontrollably.

"I know," said the man softly, "But there are other reasons you must leave this place. Do you remember?"

The boy tried to stifle his tears, wiping them on his sleeve. Yes - he did remember.

"My gift?" he asked. "The one given to me by the gods?"

"That's right my child - you have the gift of magic running through your veins. The way you heal others simply by laying your hands upon them, they way your hands glow when doing so, is a sign that you have been given this power. But there are those who would use it for their own ends - you must not allow that to happen."

The man embraced his child for the last time.

"Be free my child - and use that power to help those who suffer."

 **12 years later**

Reynold awoke from the dream with a start, bolting upright with his arm outstretched as he tried to reach for his father. He was still for a moment, before dropping his scarred arm to his side, cursing himself for the immature response to his dream.

It had been 12 years since he had been forced to flee the only family he ever had, and the scars all along his body told of his less that pleasant journey since them. He looked around his small camp, noting the embers of what was left of the fire he had built to keep wild creatures away, among other things. He took in a deep breath of cold morning air to wake himself, before standing up to eat a small breakfast of wild mushrooms and berries.

Despite the fact that over a decade had passed, he was still wanted by the lord he had fled so long ago. His father, one of the cooks in the castle, had been executed for heresy and witchcraft upon his discovery, or so he had been told. But though he had died, his words forever echoed in Reynold's mind - _Use that power to help those who suffer._

He had made it his life's mission - to free other slaves who had been bound to servitude. That is why he had honed not only his skills as a healer, but also as a fighter. Reynold sat down and pulled an item wrapped in cloth from his few belongings.

The wrappings dropped, revealing a staff inscribed with ancient runes along its side. But the most prominent feature was the the hooked blade at the end, etched with those same runes and embedded with an emerald that seem to give off an unnatural glow.

Battlemages were rare due to the fact that only a handful of out of every thousand or so humans could wield magic and even less chose to use those powers for combat. The general preference was to study healing magic or other, less noble crafts. The most prominent of the latter were those who used their magic to study and enslave human/animal hybrids known as _musume._

One of the first things he had learn as a wanderer was that in order to survive, he had to learn how to evade capture by these creatures. All of them were female, and sustained themselves by preying on men's vitality through sexual intercourse. They were feared a creatures who possed unnatural abilities, both magical and physical. They came in all forms, from insect like to giants who towered over even the tallest of men. But if there was one thing that connected them, it was the intense desire to find a mate and proliferate their species. Their skills as lovers could break even the strongest of men, and occasionally women.

While there was debate as to whether they kept their "husband" alive or devoured him after mating, Reynold had decided it best to avoid the whole issue entirely and stay away from areas known to contain these monsters. He would concern himself with human lives, and human lives only.

It was for that very reason that he found himself here in these woods, staying close to a well traveled road just two miles north. It was a route commonly taken by slavers on their way to large, rich cities intent on selling their captives for a hefty profit.

His goal clear in his mind he raised himself up, securing his staff to the his back and made off to his destination.

Two hours later.

It had only been half an hour since he had arrived, and already he could see a slaver in the distance. The carriage, really a cage on wheels with a ragged brown cover over it, was a dead giveaway. But something was... strange.

From the size of the carriage, there couldn't have been more than three slaves back there. Anymore and the slavers would risk damaging their "goods". Yet for all that, there were about nine guards riding on horseback protecting it. Such a large number was unusual for such a small number of captives.

Reynold unsheathed his weapon, setting himself for the battle at hand. The number of second-rate mercenaries didn't matter to him - they would prove of little consequence.

The slaver and his guards came closer. Thirty yards... twenty-five... twenty... fifteen.

As they came within ten yards of his hiding spot, the lead mercenary's mount stepped on a lightly inscribed circle on the ground - a magical trap. The ground erupted a large pillar of stone shot out from the ground, throwing both man and horse into the air and into the woods, out of sight. At the same time, a second pillar erupted from the rear, throwing another two mercenaries off and into the wilderness. They were now trapped - like animals.

Reynold rushed forward, taking advantage of the confusion. Raising his staff he aimed for the closets mercenary, a man wearing dull gray armor with a skull inscribed on the breast plate. He swung with all his might, his target only having a chance to yell is shock before he was thrown with unnatural force off his steed and into the dirt.

The other five mounted guards wasted no time and surrounded him. Their swords and lances at the ready.

"You fucked up, you godless bandit!" sneered one of the men angrily, his lance painted at Reynold's throat.

But it was a mute point. Reynold pointed his spear down, and buried the blade into the earth, sending waves of energy rippling through the ground. The five men lunged their weapons at him, only to be met with solid earth and stone erupted around him, encasing him in as protective cocoon.

He felt the earth molding to his body, as it had many times before. Pieces of the outer shell fell off, piece by piece, until all that was left was an armor of earth upon his body. The helmet upon his head covered it entirely, save for a slit at the front for the eyes and mouth. His shoulders, forearms, and even the top of his hands had plates on them. His torso had a breastplate that extended all the way down to his waist, were it was met by other layers of armor extending down the length of his legs.

The five soldiers of fortune gaped and Reynold, taking advantage of their stupor, lunged forward and with his armored fist, punched his foe clean off his mount, slamming against a nearby oak with a thundering crack.

He turned menacingly to the others, eyeing them like a predator of the wild. Their morale broken, the men cried out in horror before riding away as fast as possible into the distance.

The threat gone, he turned his attention to the slaver driving the carriage. He had remained quiet the entire time, but now he whimpered in fear as Reynold approached him. Disgustingly, a small foul puddle had formed under where the man sat.

"The key, or your life. Choose" Reynold extended his hand out.

"W-wait a minute!" stammered the slaver. "You don't understand! Thi-this cargo! I-it's-!"

"Your life then." Reynold raised his staff up and above the man's head, the blade ready to crash down on his skull.

"N-no!" The coward threw the keys at him, jumping from the carriage and running down the path.

"You'll regret this!" yelled back the slaver as a silver of courage returned to him before he disappeared from sight around a bend in the road.

Reynold took the keys and made his way to the back of the cage, pulling the aside the tattered cover and peering in. The sight he saw caused him shocked him.

A woman, or what appeared to be one - the most beautiful he had ever seen, laid unconscious in the cage. Even covered in a hole riddle brown shirt, dirt, cuts, and bruises, he could tell she was gorgeous. Her bright pink hair fell down the sides of her face and past her voluptuous breasts. Her skin, fair and light, almost radiated despite her condition. But what made him stop and gape, was the lower half of her body.

From her waist down, her body turned into that of a snake. The scales were a deep red color, extending all the way down until they ended in a tip at the end.

 _A lamia,_ he though to himself.

His first instinct was to back away and leave. _Musume_ could be dangerous, and one who had been beaten and abused so badly could lash out at the next human they see.

Besides... there was the issue of them looking for mates and capturing men they fancied. It was said they would trap their mate, and feed on his vitality without end until he was a shriveled corpse.

But if he left now - what would happen to the miserable creature? At worst, it would starve without no one around.

Before he could decide, the creature's eyes slowly opened. It let out a small groan before it's blue, cat-like eyes fell upon him. It let out a stifled gasp and pushed itself away to the other side of the cage, as far as it could get from him.

"W-wait a minute-" he stammered.

But all he got was a long hiss, the lamia bearing its fangs at him in anger.

"I need to you to calm down." He put his hands up, to show his sincerity. "I'm not one of your captors - they're gone. I free slaves and the ones who hurt you stumbled into my area. Here - let me show you."

He showed her the key to the cage, and slowly inserted it into the lock. He looked up and saw the creature was no longer bearing her fangs, but eyeing him with suspicion. He turned the key, unlocking the cage. To be safe, he kept his weapon at the ready, should the creature decide to lunge at him.

The cage opened with a long _creek,_ and suddenly he found nothing standing between him and the _Musume_. They stared at one another in awkward silence, Reynold noting the rapid rise and fall of the creature's chest.

"You are free - do as you wish _Musume_."

Slowly, he backed away, never taking his eyes of the creature until he reached the treeline. As he saw her exit the cage, her eyes firmly upon him with perplexity, he ran back into the forest and out of her sight.

 **The next day**

The following morning, Reynold awoke at his camp, once again the words of his father echoing in his mind. His eyelids heavy, he tried to move his arms to rub them open but his limbs felt even heavier, along with a pressure in his chest.

No - his arms felt like they were bound!

He opened his eyes with a start, and found himself looking at the gorgeous face of the captive he had freed the day before. Her large breasts were pushing against him, explaining the pressure he felt. His heart skipped a beat, hammering in his chest so hard it might burst it open. He glanced down, and saw his entire body coiled up in the _musume's_ lower body, making him panic.

"What the hell!?" he shouted as he tried to break free.

The creature's eyes flickered opened before letting out a yawn. It took it a few moments for it to acknowledge Reynold's figure struggling in its embrace.

"Oh!" it said in a sweet voice with a smile. "Good morning! Is something the matter?"

Reynold only stared at her both in wonder and fear, as he pondered what his fate would be.

"I - I am wondering why you're at my camp," he said as calmly as he could. "And why I'm like this." He nodded down to the coils around his torso.

"Well, I need heat in order to survive and you being the warmest thing here..." She stuck out her tongue playfully. "I couldn't resist."

With that, the creature loosened her embrace. Reynold took the opportunity and pushed himself away at full speed, dashing to his staff and grabbing it in his right hand. He turned around, pointing the blade at the creature.

"Out with it!" he barked. "What do you want from me?"

The lamia look at him in shock, before looking down at the ground in shame and embarrassment.

"I - I only wanted to thank you for saving me yesterday," she muttered. "There's no need to point that thing at me..."

Reynold hesitated, taking in the situation. There was no deception in her voice, but he couldn't be sure. He lowered the weapon, but kept it at his side.

"You're welcome. But hunting me down, and wrapping yourself around me without a word is a bit... much for a show of gratitude. Don't you think?"

"By human standards, I guess" it scoffed. "But for lamias, there is no shame in doing so once they've found their chosen one."

Reynold dreaded to ask, but did i anyway.

"What do you mean _chosen one?"_ demanded Reynold as he tightened the grip on his spear.

"Oh - I forgot to tell you!" The lamia's eyes brightened and her mouth broke into an excited smile, her hands clasping in front of her. "As per our customs, I've decided I am to be your bride! We are to be married!"

Reynold looked at her in a stupor, his mind seizing at what he had just heard.

"I... what?"

 **I hope you enoyed! Let me know what you all think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**To Love a Lamia**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Next chapter. I'm happy that you guys are enjoying the story! :) Please comment your thoughts!**

Reynold's mind was blank as he tried to contemplate the words that had come from the lamia's mouth. But when she inched closer to him, his reflexes took over, and his mind became clear of hesitation. In one swift motion, he raised his staff, bearing the blade against the musume.

"No," he growled. "And by that I mean hell no!"

"But-" the musume looked back at him in shock. "You saved me life! My life - my body - is yours!"

"So that must mean that my future belongs to you!?" he shouted. "Don't be so pretentious _musume_! My future will belong to me, and me alone! I refuse to be enslaved again!"

The last of his words echoed in the forest surrounding them, until they faded. He expected anger or indignity on the musume's face. But to his surprise, her features softened into a look of sadness and regret.

"I'm - I'm so sorry." She looked up at him apologetically. "I didn't realize..."

Reynold glared at the miserable creature, trying to hold onto his outrage. But his anger, once at the boiling point, cooled and turned into remorse over his reaction. But still, around musume one had to keep up their guard. Their ability for deception were well known.

"It's fine." He lowered his weapon. "I understand you all look for mates - expecting you to go against your nature is unreasonable. Still - I'm not your chosen one. I merely freed you as I have many others before you. Are we clear on that?"

The lamia nodded her head.

"Then sit down, you need rest to heal your wounds."

Her eyes grew wide in surprise at the request.

"Even if I didn't desire your presence," he sighed, "I'm still the one who freed you. Like the others, until your health is restored, I will care for you. But once you are well enough to travel - we part ways."

The lamia sat down nervously by the remnants of the fire, unsure of what she was supposed to do with herself. Reynold grabbed a nearby bowl, and filled it with berries from a nearby bag. Cautiously, he handed it to the lamia. She took it in a trembling hand and immediately began devouring every bite. She grabbed fistfuls from the bowl, shoving them unceremoniously into her mouth.

 _She must have been starving._

Reynold sat opposite from her, waiting for her to finish.

"So musume," he began as she wiped the last of the berry's juice from her lips, "Your name?"

"Hebina," she said softly. "My name is Hebina. May I have yours?"

"Reynold," he said. "Reynold Delion. How did you even end up there?" he asked as he scratched his unshaven face. "Lamia's normally inhabit the deserts beyond the kingdom's borders. Not many humans would dare to make the trip there, let alone try to capture one of its inhabitants."

"It's... a long story..." she muttered awkwardly.

"And one you wish to keep hidden." he finished for her.

"Is that... okay?" she looked at him uncertainly.

"That's your own decision. I free slaves so they may make their own choices. I'm not here to make them for you."

"Why... why do you free slaves Reynold?" she asked curiously.

Reynold glanced up as the wind blew some leaves up into the forest canopy.

"It's a long story," he said with a lopsided grin. Hebina let out a small giggle.

"I'm glad that you're able to joke occasionally Reynold," she said smiling.

"Right - well something that isn't a joke are your injuries," he said as he reached into his satchel. He pulled out a small vile holding a creamy white paste. "Tell me, do you have any sores or wounds? Anything that could become infected?"

Hebina stared at him momentarily before turning her eyes to the ground, her cheerful spirit consumed by misery.

"On my back..." she struggled to say. "When they caught me, one of the men cut me from behind with a sword. It's been hurting ever since..."

"Let me see. And don't worry," he added, noting the lamia's hesitation. "I won't do anything improper. I just need to apply this medicine so that the wound heals."

"O-okay." Slowly, the _musume_ turned around, pulling the ragged garment she wore as she did so to expose her back.

The cut, a large slash wound that extended from her right shoulder down to her left hip, was an angry shade of red. The skin around it was ragged and torn, and he could see that a minor infection was already underway.

"Ready yourself," he said as he collected a dollop of the medicine on his fingers. "I'm going to apply the cream. It's going to hurt - a lot. But you have to bear it. Do you understand?"

Hebina nodded, her eyes clenched shut in apprehension. He applied the cream as lightly as he could at the top right of the wound, eliciting a cry from the lamia who immediately pulled away from him.

"It hurts!" she cried.

 _Damn it - I haven't even started yet._ The longer this took, the longer she would be in pain. And if she kept squirming, he might not apply the medicine correctly. He had to figure out a way to distract her.

"Laaaand of bear, laaaand of eagle" he sang softly, "laaaand that gave us life and blessing. Laaand that we march eeeever towards. We will go hoooome across the mountains..."

Hebina looked back it him with tearful eyes.

"Laaannd of... bear..." she began to sing. "L-laaand of eagle... Laaaand th-that gave us l-life and blessing..."

"Laaand that we march eeeever forward," sang Reynold as he joined her, "We will go hoooome across the mountains..."

He finished applying the last of the medicine to the wound.

"And we're done." He replaced the bottle into his pouch. As Hebina began to place the ragged fabric back over her, he held out one of his shirts. "Here, you need actual clothes, not rags. This should be long enough to cover you."

Hebina took the garment in her hand, sniffing it for some unknown reason before breaking into a smile. Unceremoniously, she took off the old clothing, exposing her chest and making Reynold cover his eyes, before pulling her new shirt over her body. While it did cover her body, it left little to the imagination. Reynold had forgotten to account for her large chest and how it would stretch out the shirt. He took one of several blankets he kept with him, giving to to her so she could tie it to create a makeshift skirt.

"I love it! Thank you Reynold!"

"You're welcome. Now rest and recuperate - I'll go and get some food to bring back to camp."

As he hurriedly gathered his hunting tools, he caught Hebina stealing a glance at the scars of his arms. She averted her eyes when she saw him staring.

"Reynold..." she said timidly as she met his eyes with her own. She stared awkwardly at him, before giving him a warm smile. "I'm really happy that I met you."

He felt the blood rush to his face, before he grunted and turned to walk into the forest.

 _Why does she have to say the oddest things?_

 **Later in the evening**

Reynold finished gathering the last of the firewood. It had been a pain to cut the wood and drag it back to the camp, but since he had forbidden Hebina from coiling herself around him, it meant she needed an alternative source of heat.

"Reynold..?"

He turned around to see the lamia looking at him worriedly.

"Are you sure I can't help at all?" she pleaded. "It's not fair if all I do is sit here and watch..."

"Don't worry about it," he grunted. "It's not the first time I've done this."

A few more minutes of silence passed as he sat down and rested. But he could feel the musume's eyes on him.

"Is there something else..?" he sighed.

"I... I wanted to know why you're going out of your way to help me..."

"I literally told you the reason earlier," he snapped.

"But I'm a _musume,_ " she insisted. "Human's see us as animals who just happen to look like them. Why don't you?"

"Hmph, I guess that is a good question..." he admitted. "I wouldn't go so far to say I don't consider your kind dangerous - that's one of the reasons why I want you to keep your distance from me. But I figure that if you were going to do something, you would have done it last night."

"Oh - well thank you-"

"I mean," he interrupted. "Either that or you're not that smart. In both cases I come out ahead."

"I - I see... I guess that makes sense..." The lamia forced an awkward smile - clearly less than thrilled at his answer.

"Hey - I can either tell you the truth or lie. Which do you prefer?"

"Hmph!" The lamia turned her back to him, her arms crossed. "That was just too cold though!"

"That reminds me," said Reynold as he stood up. "You'll need some blankets. Here."

He grabbed three blankets, the last ones he had, and handed them over to his guest

"Feel free to take a bath - the medicine will have done most of its work so there's no need to worry about washing it off. There's a stream just past the trees going south of the camp. And don't be afraid," he said before she could object, "I have signets hidden in the area. If any humans get close, I'll know immediately and come find you."

With a small nod, Hebina moved in the direction he had pointed, disappearing into the treeline.

Reynold let out a sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding onto, before laying down to sleep.

 _She's just like a child,_ he thought to himself, _But then how did such a child end up here?_

 **The next morning**

The light from the morning sun forced Reynold to open his eyes. They stung and burned from lack of sleep the night before due to him checking on Hebina's condition repeatedly. Not wanting to wake her up, he had settled for checking her breathing and maintaining the fire of the camp so it lasted the entire night.

The remains of their dinner - a pair of rabbits he had caught the previous day - lay around the fire.

His heart jumped when he heard a soft muttering coming from somewhere. He scrambled to his feet and looked around, before realizing it was Hebina sleep-talking.

His curiosity getting the better of him, he inched closer to hear what she was saying.

"... smells so good..."

 _Is she thinking about food?_

 _"..._ your body... so good... Reynold..."

He bolted back in surprise, tripping over himself and landing on the ground thud. The noise caused Hebina to open her eyes, and slowly rise up.

"Huh.. waz happinin?" she asked looking groggily at him.

"Nothing!" said Reynold in a louder voice than he intended. He felt the blood rush to his face, and turned around trying to hide his reaction.

"Hmmm?" Now fully awake, Hebina slithered around him to face him. "But your face looks really _red._ Are you sick Reynold?"

"I'm fine!" he snapped before bolting up to his feet and walking away, leaving the lamia behind.

"Wait a minute..." Reynold could practically feel the musume's eyes boring into the back of his head. "Did I... did I say something weird in my sleep..?"

"I have _no idea_ what you're talking about," he denied.

"I'm only asking because I think I had a very vivid dream... like the kind that make you tingle. I'm pretty sure you were there."

"For the last time - nothing happe-" he turned around, ready to lash out at the lamia. But instead, he saw her giving him a mischievous grin. "You're - you're just trying to play a joke on me, aren't you?"

"No..." she said without ever losing her smile. She inched a little closer to him. "I mean... there are things I want to play with you, but pranks are not on my list."

"What did I tell you when I allowed you to stay here?" he growled.

"I can either tell you the truth or lie," said Hebina without losing her spirit. "Which do you want?"

"I... you... that's not..." he stammered. "I'm - I'm going to get us some food."

Reynold grabbed his staff before turning around and marching into the woods, feeling decisively defeated.

 **One hour later**

Reynold pulled angrily at the herbs sprouting from the ground.

 _Who the hell does she think she is? I should have left her behind the moment I got away from her embrace._

But then, what was stopping him now from doing just that? He had his staff, and anything else could be replaced.

 _In fact, why the hell am I here in the first place? Grabbing herbs and berries like a doting mother._

He threw the herbs to the ground, and stood up with the intent to walk away from the camp. But something made him pause - guilt. At worst the creature would follow him as she had done before, intent on getting revenge for her abandonment. At best, and most depressing, it would wait for someone who would never return.

 _It feels like I'm contemplating walking out on a loyal pet,_ he thought bitterly.

Suddenly, a small tremor ran through his body - one of his signet had been tripped.

The magical energy tugged at him, pulling him in the direction of where the signal had come from. He gripped his staff in both hands, and began running lightly to the area.

Another tremor shook him - another signet had been activated. He had placed them 30 meters apart from one another, which meant that whoever it was was riding on horseback.

It only took him 10 minutes to reach the spot where he estimated the intruders would come through. As he closed in, he heard the faint patter of hoofs on the ground and the voices of men coming through the trees.

He saw a clearing just up ahead and stopped to hide in the brush surrounding it. A few second later 7 horses stormed into sight, carrying men with black cloaks over their bodies and hoods hiding their heads. They stopped in the clearing, dismounting before looking around them.

"Are we close then?" demanded the largest one in the group. He had a shaven head and a scar running across his face. Reynold assumed he was the leader.

"Yes sir," said another. "According to my tracking spell, the lamia should be close by."

 _A mage? They must really want her back._

"You better be right - or I'll wring your neck for incompetence. But at least you've already found our other quarry." The brute turned to look directly at Reynold. "Am I right, battlemage?"

Reynold heard a savage cry erupt from behind him. He turned around in time to see a black figure flash out from above the canopy, and drive an outstretched leg into his stomach. The force knocked the air out of him, throwing his body into the open. He slammed into the ground, the jeers of the soldier ringing out in his ears.

Wasting no time, he scrambled to his feet as the other men dismounted, drawing their swords. He glanced to his side, and saw the one who had ambushed him. He was small, light, and wearing dark fitted clothing, along with a blank mask to hide his face. On his belt were two curved daggers.

"So, you must be that battlemage who likes to play hero and frees slaves." The mercenary casually rested his sword on his shoulders, looking at him with a lopsided smile. Behind him, three soldiers drew out bows, knocking arrows and aiming it him. "Do you know how many nobles you've pissed off? I bet we can sell you to the highest bidder at this point. After all, those nobles would pay an outrageous amount to get their hands on you and put you to the rack."

"Just try it," snarled Reynold. "Better men than you have failed."

"Big words, coming from a homeless mutt like you!"

Reynold tried to cast a spell using his staff, but a volley of arrows were launched at him. He dodged, one barely missing his head, but another found its mark and hit his staff, ripping it from his hands and onto the ground. The third buried itself in his shoulder, the pain erupting from the wound.

"Oh-ho!" whooped one of the soldiers. "Looks like we have a live one Captain Beckett!"

"I'd say so," Their leader, Beckett, whipped out a bow from behind him and in one swift motion fired another arrow, hitting Reynold in the leg.

"Arrgghh - you bastards!" snarled Reynold through gritted teeth and pain. He struggled to stand, the pain from his wounds weighing him down in agony. "I'll never bow to people like you - NEVER AGAIN!"

Another arrow hit him on his side, bringing him back down to the ground.

"You think we want you to bow?" Beckett walked up and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him up to his eyes. "I want you to suffer - and I want to be rich for it."

A strangled cry caught them all of guard. Beckett looked up, Reynold seeing his eyes grow wide in shock at something he couldn't see. His grip loosed, dropping him to the ground.

"Wh- what the hell is this!?" he roared in outrage.

Reynold struggled to turn his head around, and what he saw made blood freeze in its veins. The black figure who had ambushed him was hanging off the ground, a thick serpent's tail coiling around his neck. He clawed at the scales, but they kept getting tighter and tighter around his neck.

"Help... hel... me..." There a loud and wet _crack,_ before the soldier's body went limp, his arms dropping to his sides.

Out of the bushes behind him Hebina slithered out into view, her normally light eyes filled with venomous hatred. She approached the body in her embrace, helping herself to the two daggers on the dead man's belt. She drew them out, taking a quick look at them before throwing the body to the side like excess garbage, out of sight and into the bushes. She held them in front of her, in a manner suggesting she was adept at wielding such weapons.

Reynold's mind couldn't grasp the sight in front of him. Just who in the world was this _musume_?

"How the hell did she sneak up on us?" Beckett turned around to face the mage in the group in a fit of rage.

"I - I stopped sensing the signets after we found him! I didn't think she would come to _us_!"

"You fool!" The mercenary leader slammed his fist into the mage's face, throwing him to the ground and knocking him out.

"He-Hebina... why... did you come... here...?" wheezed Reynold. The pain was almost unbearable, threatening to make him pass out.

The lamia looked at him with her cold eyes, a small ember of warmth hidden behind them.

"We'll then my little _musume,"_ Reynold approached her cautiously with his blade out. "Now you've gone and made a mess. Why don't you be a good girl and come with us? Do so, and we won't hurt you too m-."

The ground beneath Beckett erupted as Hebina's tail shot out from the ground. The tip buried itself into Beckett's chestplate, breaking the armor like it was paper and impaling him. The horror was written all over his face as he reached up, trying to grab desperately at his chest. Blood flowed from his gaping mouth, running down his front.

No words emerged from the doomed man, as Hebina ripped her tail out from the ground, bringing Bekcett's still living body to rest above her. Blood rained onto her in droplets splattering on the shirt Reynold had given her - turning white to crimson. Her eyes grew ever colder if possible - a predator in the presence of unwitting prey.

"I hope you all realize," she said breaking her silence with a menacing tone, "That this fool brought you all here to die..."

 **-To be continue**


	3. Chapter 3

**To Love A Lamia**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Next chapter in the series! Thank you for your support!**

Reynold stared in shock at the nightmare unfolding in front of him.

Beckett''s body was flung to the ground with a crash, staining the earth red in a splatter. The remaining soldiers were frozen in horror as Hebina slowly made her way towards them, the blades in her hands glinting with the rays of the sun.

"KILL IT!"

The three archers fired off their arrows, aiming to bring her down.

If Reynold had not been watching, he would never have believed that a creature of Hebina's size could move so swiftly and with such purpose. Her serpentine body swayed to the sides, dodging two of the arrows. The third she parried with one of the daggers. Without wasting a moment, she dropped down, coiling her lower body together, before springing forward at the group of men.

They shouted in horror as the lamia, now nothing more than a flash of red upon the ground, closed in on one of the archers and sliced open his throat with a quick flick of her hands. The mercenary died with a guttural shriek as blood sprayed into the air around him. The others tried to backpedal to gain some distance between them and the murderous _musume._ Hebina twirled the daggers in her hands, grabbing them by the tips of their blades. In one swift motion, she threw both, each one burying itself in the archers' skulls. They dropped like sacks of wheat upon the ground - dead.

The three surviving soldiers charged, but once again Hebina coiled herself and sprung away, grabbing a short sword off one of the dead archers as she did so. She sprung upwards, disappearing into the forest canopy in a rustle of leaves.

"SHOOT HER!" one of the men ordered.

The other two dashed and grabbed two of the fallen bows. They knocked arrows and fired them one after the other into the canopy of tangled branches above. A dozen arrows flew blindly upwards in futility. The men paused their barrage, looking wildly around for their enemy.

"Did we get it!?"

"Of course not you fool!"

"No... we don't have to kill it."

A foot stepped onto the ground beside Reynold, causing him to look up. The eyes of the man were filled with wild desperation.

"All we need to do is hold this one hostage. You're that thing's mate, aren't you?"

He reached down with his hand, but Hebina's tail suddenly fell from the canopy like a hangman's rope and wrapped itself around the man's leg, pulling him down to the earth with a crash. The mercenary shrieked like a pig being led to the slaughter, clawing the ground as he was first pulled and then lifted up into the trees and out of sight. The other two on the ground, and Reynold, were frozen in horror as the sounds of an unseen struggle reached their ears.

Then all of the sudden they heard a slicing noise, and everything was quiet. Something round fell to the ground from above. The mercenary's head rolled to a stop in front of them, his face contorted in horror.

"RUN!"

The last two survivors, giving up on their hunt, ran for the horses. An odd whistling noise reached Reynold's ears, followed by the sight of the shortsword Hebina had stolen returning to the clearing having been thrown like a boomerang.

One of the men had his head sliced off as he ran. His body took a few more steps, unaware of its death, before falling to the ground.

The other was ironically slashed along his back, falling to the ground and twisting in pain.

Hebina emerged into the view, lowering herself gracefully to the ground. She approached the last mercenary, grabbing a dagger from one the many dead bodies before she reached him.

"No!" he pleaded, "P-please! I'll do anything you ask!"

"Anything?" she asked coldly.

"Y-yes! Anything!"

"Then die you pig."

The man had enough time for one final shriek before Hebina reached down and slit his throat. He convulsed on the ground, his eyes bulging, and he tried to stem the torrent of blood from the wound on his neck. But his movements became slower, and fainter, until he let out one final breath and laid motionless on the ground.

The pain - and the horror - was too much. Reynold's vision blackened as the ever encroaching darkness finally overtook him. He had time to see Hebina turn to face him. He heard her shout his name, before everything went silent.

/

Reynold's eyelids felt heavy like they were made of iron. He tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't budge.

He forced his eyes open and as they focused, he found himself staring into Hebina's sleeping and peaceful face. He looked down in confusion, and saw Hebina's serpentine body wrapped around his own once again. Her arms were holding him tenderly, keeping him close to her. A small fire was burning close by, giving them some modicum of warmth.

He should have been angry - outraged - but his mind was swimming, impenetrable like a swamp.

Hebina stirred, awoken by his movements, her blue unfocused eyes falling on him. As they sharpened, she let out a small sigh of relief.

"You're awake Reynold - thank the ancestors." She loosened her grip on him, releasing him from her.

As Reynold struggled to get up, he looked down and saw his wounds had been bandaged.

"Hebina..." said Reynold in a voice so groggy he hardly recognized it as his own, "Wha... what happ-"

"Don't push yourself" she said placing her finger on his lips to silence him, "You've been unconscious for almost a day and a night. I know you said not to wrap you with my body, but it was the only way I could make sure you didn't move and open your wounds."

"I - did you really do all that?" he asked slowly as his memories returned, "Or was it all just a dream?"

"I'm... afraid that it wasn't a dream," she said - her eyes firmly upon him. "I killed all those men - I butchered them alive. It was the only way to save me and you."

"But - but why?" he demanded. "You could have fled and avoided all that. And how - how do you know how to wield a sword - a dagger? You killed them like they were nothing but ants... None of this makes any sense..."

"If it meant saving the man who gave me my life back, I would do it a thousand times and never feel a hint of remorse," she said firmly.

"Hebina... just who in the world are you?"

The lamia was silent, regarding him with her cat like eyes. Reynold wondered if she wanted him to know - if he really even wanted to know himself.

"I supposed I do owe you an explanation," she said with a sigh. She straitened her back and sat up her eyes firmly forward. "I am Hebina, member of the Sabaku Shinku Clan. Since I was born, I was taught to fight and wield the weapons of man. I serve as a warrior to protect my village - I specialize in assassinations."

Reynold couldn't help but gawk at her - this _musume_ who he had taken for an oddity with a habit of trying to seduce him.

"Okay... uh..," he stammered, "That's... quite the revelation... Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Oh hey!" she said breaking into a fake smile, "Thank you for saving me Reynold! By the way, I know how to kill people and have a habit of doing it in their sleep when they're not watching! Pleased to meet you!" Her smile dropped to form a grim expression. "Do you think that would have gone well?"

"Point taken," he sighed. "But if you're that strong, how did you even get captured in the first place?"

"A few days ago, there was an Arachne coming too close to my village," she said with a sudden hint of frustration. "I was sent by our chief to find it and deal with it if it turned out to be a threat. Unfortunately for me, it was."

She lifted her stained shirt, to reveal two bite marks on her lower right abdomen Reynold hadn't noticed before.

"I fought it off, but the poison took effect and I was unable to move like I usually do. Of course, that would be when I ran into a desert party of humans. In my weakened state, they captured me and threw me in a caged wagon, depriving me of food and rest, making the effects of the poison worse."

"And that's when I showed up and freed you," he finished for her.

Hebina fidgeted nervously, but still gave him a warm smile.

"Yes - if it hadn't been for you, I may have never recovered."

"So... is your intention to go back to your village?"

"It is..." she said with a hint of sadness. "And since I'm fully recovered, I guess that means this is where we part ways?"

"Do you even know which way the desert is?"

Hebina gave him a blank look.

"It's... uhhh... _that way?"_ Hebina pointed in a random direction.

"That takes you _deeper_ into the kingdom," sighed Reynold.

"Oh - I knew that!" she shouted in embarrassment, "It's... that way!"

"Okay that's enough." Reynold held his hand up to save her from further embarrassment. "Look, you're right that I did say once you recovered we would split up - but things have changed since then."

"Does that mean you've fallen for me!?" Hebina suddenly got close - _way too close._

 _"No you fool,"_ growled Reynold in an attempt to deflate her excitement as he pushed her away, "But you saved my life - so the least I can do is make sure you get home safely before we go our separate ways."

The lamia stared at him silently until he grew uneasy - he could even see his face reflected in her eyes. Suddenly, she lunged at him and pushed him to the ground, embracing him.

"You're falling for me!" she cried out in happiness. "I knew I could win you over eventually!"

"I just _told you I'm not!"_ Reynold tried to push her away, but all it did was encourage her to hold on tighter.

Her tail wrapped around him in a flash, binding his arms to his side. Alarmingly, he realize that with every breath he exhaled, the serpent's tail got even tighter around him. He started flailing in panic, forcing his right arm out of the trap. He clawed and grabbed at the empty air, until her accidentally snatched the tip of Hebina's tail and gripped as hard as he could.

Hebina's eyes suddenly widened in shock as she froze in place, her face suddenly flush.

"R-Reynold... what're..."

He tried to say something, but the lamia's body muffled his voice. Instead, he opted at tightening his grip, hoping that the abrupt change in behavior meant something could be done to stop her.

But instead of paying attention to his predicament the lamia's breath became short, her eyes unfocused, as she began rubbing herself against him. He could practically feel the heat radiating from her body.

 _Damn it let go!_

"P-please Reynold," she squealed, "I'm not r-ready for this!"

He realized that he must have touched something he shouldn't have. But if the choice was death by strangulation or this...

Reynold rubbed Hebina's tail even harder, causing the lamia to wildly convulse.

"I - I can't hold on!" Hebina screamed in ecstasy as she reached her climax, her body finally loosening and allowing his head to emerge. Before he could utter a word though, her arms shot out and grabbed his now exposed head, holding it to her chest. "I'M... CUMMING!"

Reynold felt his own face grow hot as he struggled to catch a much needed breath. He looked up, and to his fluster saw Hebina looking down at him, a line of drool falling from the corner of her mouth.

"I...hope..." she said in between breaths, holding him close, "that you... will take responsibility for this..."

 **See you all next time!**

 **-Bladewing265**


End file.
